Feeling Content Is Good For My Life And My Money
I didn’t always feel content with my life. Growing up, all I ever wanted was to be rich. And rich to me was what I saw on the show, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Basically, I just wanted stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. Shiny and sparkly stuff in a ginormous house. To me, that was making it in life and if I could be like that then I would be happy.
Thinking back, I realize that I didn’t want to be rich in the traditional sense at all. I didn’t want a pile of money in my bank account. What I wanted was all the stuff.
A funny thing has happened to me with each passing year. I realize that all the stuff brings me less and less joy the older I get. What brings me joy these days are family game nights, hikes in the woods and around the neighborhood, people watching at the mall, and pizza on Fridays.
Since embracing contentment and devaluing the stuff I wanted so badly as a young adult, my bank account is reaping the rewards. Not only am I making big financial strides toward a life full of options, but the things I do with my free time often involve not spending money at all. Instead, I’m making improvements in my personal life.
I’m making more of an effort to stay active and exercise than I used to. I also make it a point to enjoy that exercise because I know it’s good for my mind and my body. And since I’m exercising more, I feel healthier than I used to. It’s a total win.
3 Steps To Take To Feel Content
If you’re sitting there thinking you could benefit from feeling more content with your life, take a look at the 3 steps you can take starting RIGHT NOW to feel better about your life and your future.
1. Be Grateful
It should come as no surprise that being grateful is the number one thing you can do right now to feel content with your life. Think about how far you’ve come and how many people want to be at the level you currently enjoy. Imagine going back in time and showing your younger self how much you have achieved thus far.
For me, I have achieved everything I ever wanted as a child. I graduated from college with honors and even earned a master’s degree. On top of that, I own 3 houses – our family home and 2 rental properties. Growing up in a 400sf trailer fostered a love of real estate inside me. If the younger me could see all that I have accomplished, that person would be blown away. In addition to my education and real estate ventures, I also have a beautiful, healthy family. That alone is enough to feel grateful for each and every day.
2. Flip Negatives Into Positives
This might be easier said than done but if you can master this skill you will be well on your way to a life of contentment. Whatever your situation is, I’m sure you have experienced some negative events in your life. Whether these events were self-inflicted or just the result of some really bad luck, I’m willing to bet you can find some good nugget hiding in that experience somewhere if you dig deep enough.
One of the biggest negatives in my life that I turned into a positive was an 8-year-long relationship that I stayed in despite my better judgment. I knew almost immediately that relationship was not right for me and that I should move on but fear held me back.
I was in my early 20s at the time and I didn’t know how to be alone and I was scared. I was scared of relying solely on myself. I was scared of leaving his beautiful house to find my own way in the world. And I was scared I would never find anyone else.
Looking back from a point of clarity, I realize that I was wrong, wrong, wrong. But, at that moment, I felt like I couldn’t leave. So I stayed. I stayed and wasted 8 good years of my life with the wrong person.
So, how did I turn that into a positive? Well, first of all, I don’t think of it as wasting 8 years of my life. I think of it as a time of personal growth. During that relationship, I learned how to interact with a myriad of individuals and situations. I also developed some really valuable construction skills that I use regularly on my home and our 2 rentals.
When I think about that situation now I know that it wasn’t all bad and it wasn’t a total waste. I learned a lot in those 8 years. And I learned even more in the aftermath. I learned to be strong enough to make it on my own and to be happy alone. That was HUGE and I am grateful for the experience.
3. Enjoy The Moment
All too often we get caught up in looking forward to the next big thing in our lives. I’m not saying it’s bad to look forward to a vacation or a holiday. What I’m saying is that it’s bad to mindlessly weave through each day without enjoying something about it.
Sure, it might be a workday and you might be stressed out trying to hit a deadline, but I bet there is still some portion of your day that’s enjoyable. Did you have lunch with a friend? Did you listen to an entertaining podcast on your way to work? Will you have a great conversation during dinner with your family this evening? Or, maybe you’ll get a good workout in before snuggling up with a book before bed. However mundane your day feels, there is likely still something good about it.
Look, I know we all have obligations and things we need to accomplish to keep our lives running, but you still need to enjoy the moment by seeking out the things each and every day that you cherish. Believe me, they’re there. You just need to slow down and be grateful for them.
Related:
- Episode 28 // 3 Steps To Contentment And Happiness
- Growing Up Poor Was My Single Biggest Financial Motivator
- The New FI: Forget Financial Independence, Achieve Financial Improvement First
- How I Almost Committed Financial Suicide
- Why Working From Home Isn’t As Fantastic As You Think
Let’s Get Back To Talking About Money
So how does feeling content make me wealthy? Simple. I desire fewer things and that equals more money. Since I don’t care if I drive the newest car or wear the latest fashions, I have more money to invest and increase my bottom line propelling me toward financial improvement and ultimately financial independence.
Okay, I’m going to hop off my soapbox now so you can finish reading this and start appreciating your beautiful life and feeling content each day.
11 Comments
Happy New Year, I Love the inspiring post to start the New Year. Contentment is one thing I started working on a couple of weeks before Christmas. Thank you so much! I look forward to what the thisNew Year brings. I am also trying to not compare myself to others this year. I might not be as far as I would like but I’m working at it.
Congrats on starting to focus on contentment. It’s something so small but something that can be life-changing as far as perspective and happiness. I know it’s hard not to compare yourself to others but it’s possible. I still struggle with it occasionally, so I understand. As long as you keep re-focusing on you, your new year should be fabulous. Thanks for stopping by!
Good post. When’s the next pod going up?
That is a pretty nice car you have though. What is it?
Haha. It is a nice car. We have 2 older cars. Both are 2012 with no payments. One is a Mazda 3 and the other is a BMW X5. But we bought the BMW for $16,800 and paid cash for it. It was my “dream car” long ago and my husband decided I should try one on for size. I like it but don’t love it. Quite honestly, not a week goes by that I don’t consider selling it and getting something more economical. And, likely, we will do that sooner rather than later. 🙂
I’ve always been happy as an adult. Maybe because my self image wasn’t great as a child, being a late bloomer who was ridiculously successful in business later, exceeded my wildest dreams. But I do wonder if having low expectations is really a good way to achieve happiness? Or is that just a little messed up.
I just found your podcast and listened to this episode today. I LOVE IT! I love your heart and your message. Can’t wait for more.
Wow! So glad you found us and are enjoying it. Feel free to subscribe and leave us a review on iTunes or wherever it is you listen to podcasts. That will really help us to get in front of more people. Thanks for commenting!!
This is a great post! I love the perspective of thinking about yourself as a child seeing you today. Oh how excited they would be at all you’ve accomplished!
If only we knew then everything we know now, right?
My wife and I often gain perspective by traveling the world and recognizing that so many people don’t have the basics that we have. Having indoor water becomes a source of joy after visiting people who don’t have it. Having *hot* water turns into an absolute luxury.
These kinds of things give us perspective and help us understand that we don’t need more stuff. We are already living the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous! 😁
Wow. What you described in your travels is so very powerful. I know oftentimes the things “we” complain about are certainly first-world problems, as the saying goes. Your statement truly backs that up.
This is really positive. So inspiring and the best direction to take. Thanks a lot for sharing
This is where I’m at right now! Just feeling grateful to be alive and have my husband and my babies by my side. We are weekend warriors living our best lives in beautiful San Diego. You don’t need much house here. We did experience a lot of loss of life in 2020 and so we got some inheritance, that, plus the stimuli checks, are more than we need at the moment. Trying to pool it all together and make the right investments now so that we can spend more time enjoying existence! I’m trying to convince my husband that we don’t need a bigger mortgage but a better financial independence plan. What have been your highest return pandemic investments?